Fired Rancho Cucamonga animal center employee to appeal decision

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A former animal shelter employee, allied with dismissed volunteers who are concerned with the direction of the center, said he will appeal the city's decision this year to terminate his employment.

Jesse Kreider, 30, of Upland, characterized the city's termination of his employment as retaliation for speaking out as a "whistle blower" on what he described as improper conduct by shelter management and some employees.

"The city of Rancho Cucamonga is sending a clear message to the public, volunteers and also its employees, and that message is to not speak out against inappropriate acts," Kreider said at a recent council meeting. "...Do not make completely legitimate complaints or the city of Rancho Cucamogna will fire or dismiss you."

Among the official reasons Krieder said were given to him as grounds for termination by the city were insubordination, being disrespectful, and being neglectful on investigations. Kreider's appeal hearing will be held on April 30 at city hall.

"They still have an opportunity to make this right and if they want to work something out, I'm all ears," said Kreider, who added he's had good reviews until new leadership took over. "I just want to make things right between the volunteers and the city and also myself and I'm going to continue to support That Group until the city can start listening to both sides, because right now, they're not listening."

At a January council meeting, Kreider described that a Marc Steinorth election sign, with visible holes in it, could be seen inside the field service office, days after the new councilman was elected to council on Nov. 6. Kreider said some at the shelter had expressed disdain for the then-candidate and volunteers who supported him.

Kreider said a tranquilizer gun had been used to shoot at the sign at the shelter. Kreider characterized the shooting up of the sign and its display in a shelter office as a political act prohibited by the employee manual, but allowed by shelter management.

City officials said they could not discuss the personnel issues in the matter "because of legal matters at hand," but defended the direction of the shelter.

"Despite what the small group of individuals may want the public to believe, the animal center is thriving and has a great team of compassionate staff and volunteers that are tirelessly working together to save thousands of animals each year," said Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Services Center Director Veronica Fincher in a statement. "Thanks to our staff, volunteers and our community support, last year 84 percent of our dogs and cats were placed in new homes, with rescue and adoption partners or reunited with their owners."

In an earlier interview, city manager John Gillison said the sign incident has been looked into by the city, and added the issue was "handled appropriately," without providing further detail.

During the council meeting, Steinorth said he wanted the public to know he harbors no ill-will whatsoever based on comments about the sign.

"I want to make sure that it's clear I have a completely unbiased approach and that my impartiality has not been influenced whatsoever by the comments," Steinorth said.

Kreider is allied with That Group, a group of former Rancho Cucamonga animal center volunteers who say they were wrongfully terminated in November after publicly speaking out against animal mistreatment and improper euthanasias.

About two dozen members of That Group, wearing purple shirts, came to a recent city council meeting to support Kreider and continue a debate over the direction of the shelter.

The dismissed volunteers want to return to work and bring back animal socialization and promotion efforts they say were eliminated under Fincher, who began direction of the shelter in 2011.

Susan Keithly, a shelter volunteer who was dismissed in November, and a member of That Group, said animals' lives are being lost because of policy changes. She said the shelter should reinstate programs and bring back volunteers.

"Will the council do anything to help," Keithly said. "We don't want any recognition. We're still willing to try to work with Veronica, despite everything she's done."

Fincher, in an earlier interview, said all options are exhausted before an animal is euthanized, and said the center engages in outreach to rescue organizations, support shelters, and the public. Decisions to euthanize an animal are based on the dog or cat's ability to adjust to kennel life, adoptability, and safety for prospective adopters, she said.

But critics have voiced concern that efforts aren't going far enough, and animals are being improperly categorized as unadoptable.

"All they have to do is say it had an issue with its temperament and they can automatically lie and say the reason is it had a bad temperament,"

Kreider said. "I know that's not the case. I saw it multiple times. In fact, one of the dogs I picked up, they claimed to be aggressive, and that was the nicest dog I came across. I was shocked when they put that dog down."

"Those are decisions that are matters of professional judgement that need to be made, and they're made following some careful thought," Sassoon said of the decision to euthanize and animal. "It's not something that's done lightly."

Animal center volunteer Cynthia Stukey agreed.

"Every volunteer and every staff person there cares and feels for the animals as much as they do," Stukey said.

Mayor Pro Tem Sam Spagnolo defended the center, saying the animal center has passed two evaluations by the state and the county in response to allegations of misconduct in recent months.

"I think their concerns have been addressed at the county and the state, and both came in on surprise inspections," Spagnolo said. "They weren't scheduled and the center was given a clean bill of health. I don't see a need to go over that again."

Spagnolo said the center is currently undergoing a San Bernardino County grand jury investigation prompted by allegations of misconduct.

Councilman Bill Alexander said during the council meeting he hopes the council listens to all of the arguments "very carefully." Alexander, who was on the council when the city took control of the shelter from the county several years ago, said he is concerned about the allegations raised by That Group, and suggested further council review in possible hearings.

"My hope is that our mayor will see the necessity and anybody who desires talking the lead on getting something like this going," Alexander said.

"I have faith that they're just as interested in wanting to get to the bottom of this as much as any of us do."